Russ & Daughters' Herring Pairing: A Photo Diary

Sweet-pickled herring with mustard sauce and fresh dill, mounted on one of those thin brown crackers of which Scandinavia seems to have a surplus.

This evening I attended the third annual Herring Pairing mounted by Russ & Daughters at the Astor Center. There were eight dishes presented at eight different tables, each one showcasing a single format for the fish, along with an accessory cocktail formulated to go with the presentation.

The herring used in the mainly-canapes was either sweet or salty, with sweet predominating. The highlight of the evening was an Osaka-style piece of pressed "box" sushi featuring -- what else? -- pickled herring. This along with a cold Japanese soup and a little ceramic cup of fresh-tasting sake.

There was an ample sandwich on a nice bun of "new catch" Holland herring, small fish served whole with a tail sticking out, rather comically, from the end of the sandwich. Garnishment was provided by perfectly diced raw onion and dill pickle. My friend and I suspected students from the nearby French Culinary Institute may have had a hand in this.

A jazz band entertained. The place was crowded, but very good for seeing friends you hadn't seen in ages.

Mounting shiny-skinned pickled herring on a slice of boiled potato is a nifty idea for party pass-arounds.